MONMOUTH REDOUBT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22740, 28 May 1937, Page 13

MONMOUTH REDOUBT

CAIRN TO BE ERECTED INSCRIBED MEMORIAL TABLET [by telegraph —OWN correspondent] 'J' AULi AXG A, Thursd ay Tlw Tauranga Borough Council, at its fortnightly meeting, decided to erect a memorial cairn and tablet on the Monmouth Redoubt. The tablet will hear the following inscription: "This redoubt Avas erected in 1864 br British troops, including the 4'Jnl Monmouth Light Infantry, alter whom it was named. During these troubled times all Kuropcau women ami children in the settlement were accommodated at the mission station, with a view to their protection by the military, and had to sleep every night fully dressed and with emergency rations of biscuits and a bottle of water within reach. This state of affairs continued for six weeks. Then one night the colonel in charge of the troops told Archdeacon Brown that it was impossible to restrain the natives any longer, and that the women and children must take immediate shelter in the redoubt. They were transferred there under heavy military guard and spent the remainder of the night on the floor of the soldiers' blockhouse, which stood on the spot where this memorial is erected. They remained in these cramped quarters until the arrival of Sellar's cutter, on the deck of which they had, owing to unfavourable to spend another week before reaching safety and shelter in Auckland.

"To the memory of these gallant pioneers and the men who protected them this memorial is dedicated by their grateful successors." It was stated that the cost of the memorial would be about £l5O, and any people who wished to do so would lie permitted to subscribe. The Mayor, Mr. L. H. Wilkinson, said the matter had been before the council on several occasions. There were many people in the Dominion who would be interested in the project.